Indications are that there has been no support from the Akufo-Addo administration towards the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the death of President John Evans Atta-Mills, who became the first Ghanaian head of State to die in office on July 24, 2012.
In a Citi News interview, Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, said he was not aware of any involvement from the government.
Nonetheless, some friends and associates of the Atta-Mills will commemorate the anniversary with some activities of its own, starting with a meeting at the Asmomdwe park at 8 am today [Monday] for a remembrance and wreath laying ceremony.
This will be followed by a gathering at the Osu Kuku Hills, where Atta Mills’ office was located when he was the leader of the NDC prior to his 2008 election victory, for “a gathering of the saints” where sympathisers will “reminisce, pay tribute and find a way of evoking fond memories of the late President of the Republic of Ghana.”
“As far as I am concerned, with regards to the wreath-laying and the Kuku Hills issue, there is no government support. If the government is supporting elsewhere and in any other way, I am not aware. As far as I am concerned, what will happen at Kuku Hills, what will happen at the Asomdwe Park is purely borne out of what we friends and associates of the late president think that we ought to do to remember him,” Mr. Anyidoho said.
Atta Mills had been a main stay in Ghanaian politics since serving as Vice President to President Jerry John Rawlings for one term from 1997 to 2001. He assumed the mantle of flagbearer of the NDC and contested unsuccessfully for the presidency before on two occasions before emerging victorious in 2008 after defeating the New Patriotic Party’s candidate and current President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a run-off.
Tragedy struck on July 24, 2012, when Atta Mills died at the 37 Military Hospital aged 68. He had reportedly been battling with throat cancer, and in the days leading up to his death, had been in the US for some medical attention.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
